Artifact Collection

The back of the gold-plated throne, showing queen Ankhesenamun putting the finishing touches to the kings toilet, from the tomb of the pharoah Tutankhamun, discovered in the Valley of the Kings

Cross-section of Filippo Brunelleschis design for the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral in Florence, Italy
FLORENCE: BRUNELLESCHI. Cross-section of Filippo Brunelleschis design for the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral in Florence, Italy. Contemporary drawing by Lodovico Cardi da Cigoli

The Rosetta Stone, British Museum, London, England, United Kingdom, Europe

BEETHOVEN MANUSCRIPT. Sketches by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) for his Ninth Symphony in D Minor, opus 125, with quotes from Schillers " Ode to Joy."

Court record of testimony at the Salem witch trials, 1692
Record of Titubas testimony at the Salem witchcraft trials, 1690s. Halftone reproduction with a watercolor wash

Singer sewing machine ad, 1890s
Advertisement for the Singer Automatic sewing machine, 1890s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th century illustration

Beowulf manuscript page
Page from the Old English manuscript of " Beowulf" in the British Museum. Woodcut reproduction with a watercolor wash

Venus of Willendorf, Stone Age figurine, rear view. Discovered in 1908 near Willendorf, Austria, this 11-centimetre-tall limestone figurine dates from around 23, 000 years ago

MADABA MAP, 6TH CENTURY. The Madaba Mosaic Map, the oldest known map of the city of Jerusalem, located in the Byzantine Church of Saint George at Madaba, Jordan, 6th century A.D

Europe, Greece
Greece, Crete, Heraklion / Iraklion. Heraklion Archeological Museum. Bull Leaping Fresco (Toreador Fresco). Minoan wall painting from Knossos depicting a running bull and three acrobats performing

Dead Sea scroll
Fragment of the Dead Sea scrolls on display at the Qumran museum, Dead Sea, Israel

TV DINNER, 1954. Packaging for Swansons turkey TV dinner, 1954, designed to resemble a television set

TITANIC: FIRST CLASS TICKET. First class ticket for the Titanic held by the Reverand Stuart Holden, who never used the ticket because his wife became ill the day before the Titanic steamed off on its

The Makapansgat Pebble
Three-million-year-old Makapansgat Pebble from South Africa. Perhaps the most ancient art object in the world. It is said to have been carried over a distance of four kilometers by Australopithecus

Alabaster vase inlaid with floral garlands, from the tomb of the pharaoh Tutankhamun, discovered in the Valley of the Kings, Thebes, Egypt, North Africa, Africa

Make way for ducklings sculpture by Nancy Schon, Boston Public Garden, Boston
USA, Massachusetts, Boston, Make way for ducklings sculpture by Nancy Schon, Boston Public Garden

Venus of Brassempouy
The Venus of Brassempouy carved out of ivory some 18, 000 years ago and discovered in Brassempouy, France. Believed to have been carved during the last stage of the Upper Palaeolithic age

Albany & Buffalo Railroad schedule, 1843
Albany & Buffalo Railroad timetable, showing fares and routes, 1843. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century printed piece

EVNT2A-00196
Oliver H. Perrys note proclaiming his Lake Erie victory: " We have met the enemy and they are ours." Woodcut with watercolor wash

Document commissioning John Paul Jones as a US Navy captain
John Paul Joness commission as captain in the US Navy, from the Congress, 1776. Woodcut reproduction with a watercolor wash

Knights Templar are on a mission to collect relics for their nation

HOME APPLIANCE AD, 1926. Advertisement for the Hoover vacuum cleaner from an American magazine of 1926

Trundholm Sun Chariot
The Trundholm Sun Chariot is a late Nordic branze Age artifact discovered in Denmark that has been interpreted as a dispiction of the sun being pulled by a mare that may have relation to later Norse

NATIVE AMERICAN CARVINGS. Southeastern Native American (Calusa) carved wooden cat figures, c1450, excavated at Key Marco, Florida

BASEBALL BUTTON. Chicago White Sox button, late-20th century

Amazon warrior, statue at Versailles
Statue of an Amazon warrior in a garden of the Palace of Versailles, France. Digital photograph

Medical kit in the Civil War, 1860s
Civil War medical kit used in field situations, Shiloh Battlefield. Photograph

The kings two daggers, one with a blade of gold, the other of iron, from the tomb of the pharaoh Tutankhamun, discovered in the Valley of the Kings, Thebes, Egypt, North Africa, Africa

Neanderthal spear point
A spear point once belonging to that of Neanderthal Man (Homo neanderthalensis). This specimen was discovered in Gorhams Cave, Gibraltar

American Revolutionary War era flag flown by George Washingtons Cruisers, 1775
REVOLUTIONARY FLAG, 1775. American Revolutionary War era flag flown by George Washingtons Cruisers, 1775

SMITH & WESSON REVOLVER. Smith & Wessons hammerless safety revolver. Line engraving, 19th century

GONE WITH THE WIND, 1939. American poster, 1939, featuring Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable, for the film Gone with the Wind after the novel by Margaret Mitchell

TEXAS FLAG, 1842. Texas flag seized from Texan prisoners during a Mexican raid on San Antonio and a subsequent battle at Mier, Mexico, 1842

Witchcraft book by Cotton Mather, 1689
Cotton Mather, " Memorable Providences Relating to Witchcrafts, " title page, 1689. Halftone reproduction with a watercolor wash

Cades Cove log cabin, Tennessee
Log cabin of John Oliver, built in the 1820s, Great Smokey Mountains National Park, Tennessee. Photograph

Trephination evidence in an Inca skull
Inca skull showing evidence of prehistoric trephining or brain surgery in Peru. Woodcut with a watercolor wash

Mayan and other pre-Columbian artifacts, Museum of Anthropology and History, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico, North America

Painted ivory plaque from the lid of a coffer showing Tutankhamun and Ankhesenamun in a garden, the lower frieze shows young women plucking mandrakes, from the tomb of the pharaoh Tutankhamun

Last record, dated 1847 and 1848, of Sir John Franklins expedition in search of the Northwest passage, found in 1859
FRANKLIN EXPEDITION, 1848. Last record, dated 1847 and 1848, of Sir John Franklins expedition in search of the Northwest passage, found in 1859

Prehistoric Acheulian hand axe dating from 600000 BC at St. Germain en Laye, Ile de France, France, Europe

One of the double doors of the gilt shrine showing the goddess Isis, from the tomb of the pharaoh Tutankhamun, discovered in the Valley of the Kings, Thebes, Egypt, North Africa, Africa

Statue of the goddess Serket protecting the canopic chest or shrine, from the tomb of the pharaoh Tutankhamun, discovered in the Valley of the Kings, Thebes, Egypt, North Africa, Africa

Carving at Copan Ruins, Maya Site of Copan, UNESCO World Heritage site, Honduras

Peru. Hand painted ceramic pendants

15th New York Battery memorial, Gettysburg Battlefield
Memorial to the 15th New York Battery, Gettysburg Battlefield. Photograph

Harold steers ship across channel, a scene from the Bayeux Tapestry, Bayeux, Normandy, France, Europe

The gilt throne, the back decorated with a scene showing the royal couple, from the tomb of the pharaoh Tutankhamun, discovered in the Valley of the Kings, Thebes, Egypt, North Africa, Africa

Detail showing the destruction of Asians painted on the box of stuccoed wood, from the tomb of the pharaoh Tutankhamun, discovered in the Valley of the Kings, Thebes, Egypt, North Africa, Africa

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"The Artifacts that Unveil History's Secrets: From the Rosetta Stone to Beethoven's Manuscript" Step into the British Museum in London, England, and embark on a captivating journey through time as you encounter remarkable artifacts from across Europe. Marvel at the iconic Rosetta Stone, an ancient Egyptian artifact that unlocked the mysteries of hieroglyphics. Its discovery forever changed our understanding of ancient civilizations. Delve deeper into European history with a cross-section of Filippo Brunelleschi's ingenious design for the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral in Florence, Italy. This contemporary drawing by Lodovico Cardi da Cigoli reveals the architectural brilliance behind one of Italy's most renowned landmarks. Traveling back to the 1890s, witness how innovation shaped everyday life with a Singer sewing machine ad. This advertisement captures a pivotal moment when technology revolutionized textile production and empowered individuals. Venture even further into history with a court record documenting testimony from the infamous Salem witch trials in 1692. Explore this chilling artifact that serves as a reminder of humanity's darkest moments and its enduring quest for justice. Turn your attention to literature as you examine an original page from the Beowulf manuscript—a treasure hailing from ancient Greece. Feel connected to centuries past as you trace each carefully preserved word penned by unknown hands. Discover religious devotion frozen in time through Reverend Stuart Holden's first-class ticket for Titanic’s maiden voyage in 1912—an artifact never used due to his wife falling ill unexpectedly. This poignant relic reminds us of both human tragedy and resilience amidst unforeseen circumstances. Immerse yourself in musical genius with sketches by Ludwig van Beethoven himself for his Ninth Symphony—his magnum opus—in D Minor, opus 125. These precious fragments adorned with quotes from Schiller’s Ode to Joy offer insight into Beethoven’s creative process and eternal message of unity through music.